Ritchie calls for plans to build new nuclear plant near Sellafield to be halted
SDLP MP for South Down Margaret Ritchie has repeated calls for the plans to build a new nuclear plant near Sellafield to be halted immediately.
Ritchie told Newry Times, “Just this week it has been announced Toshiba Westinghouse has acquired a majority stake in the new Nuclear Build project at Moorside in West Cumbria.
“The reason they are looking to the UK for business it that it is one of the only countries foolish enough to commit to nuclear power in the wake of the Fukishima disaster when most nations are pursuing alternatives
“I am completely opposed to this new facility and suggest that those in support take a look at the neighboring Sellafield site to see the vestiges of the UK’s last failed nuclear programme. Indeed, decommissioning the defunct Sellafield site currently sucks up almost half of the entire budget of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
“That is the burden such projects leave for future generations and it is astounding that no lessons have been learned from these previous follies. Notably the new nuclear program is under review by the European Commission, as yet again this technology will have to be propped up by expensive subsidies which will go to the major power companies,” she continued.
“There are also genuine safety concerns given that this site is located only 100 miles from South Down and given the high volume of nuclear waste that will be transported through the Irish Sea as a result.
“As the tragic events in Fukushima illustrate this is a technology that can never be made completely safe and the results when something does go wrong are catastrophic. Given the location of these new nuclear sites there is an onus on the UK government to consult fully with Irish authorities and the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Ritchie added, “I understand that An Taisce, are urgently seeking to take action against these new plants and I will be doing everything I can to raise this issue at Westminster to ensure that my constituents no longer have to live in the shadow of these expensive and dangerous facilities.”
Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=38789
Posted by Newry Times News
on Jan 28 2014. Filed under Politics.
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We don’t NEED Nuclear there are other ways to generate electricity . Nuclear is very expensive & very dangerous to all life on earth & it is NOT CLEAN . NO to new generation of nuclear . Business is cut throat & ruthless it cares not for human life .